Karst environments are extremely peculiar settings, with unique landscapes showing a variety of landforms, such as dolines, swallets, shafts, karrenfields, poljes, endorheic basins, caves, etc. These features play an important role in hydrological processes, especially in the natural groundwater recharge. In such a context, mapping the most typical karst landforms, understanding their formation mechanism and the hydraulic role, combined with analyses of geological and geomorphological data, are of crucial importance to fully comprehend the hydrogeological regime. In this contribution, we focus on the Alburni Massif (Campania), one of the most important karst areas in southern Italy. A karst geomorphological map was realized in Geographic Information System (GIS) environment, based on data derived from the available scientific and speleological literature and cartography, analysis of Google Earth Images, high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEM), and field activities. The map consists of several layers: the geological, topographic and hydrological layers represent the base maps on which the main karst elements are portrayed. In detail, the geological layer consists of the rock formations and tectonic faults, extracted from the official geological cartography available for the study area. As regards topography, it consists of contour lines and hill-shade map, derived from a 5-meters DEM. The hydrological information regards the main rivers and the basal springs, these latter being generally located at the contact between the limestone and the impermeable flysch formations. To fully characterize the Alburni Massif, the layer dedicated to karst was eventually realized, by selecting the most important features of the karst landscape. These included the cave entrances, together with endorheic basins and dolines, that were mapped in this study for the first time over the entire mountain ridge, also discriminating, whenever possible, the different mechanisms at the origin of the dolines. In addition, other features such as swallets, blind valleys, morphological saddles, etc., were also represented. All these elements are described in this contribution, giving an overview about the geomorphological and karst landforms of the Alburni Massif. Integrated with further information from cave explorations, this amount of data could be of high significance to improve the knowledge of the Alburni karst environment and of its hydrogeological characters.
Karst geomorphology of the Alburni Massif (Campania, Italy)
CAFARO S.;ESPOSITO L.;PARISE M.
2022-01-01
Abstract
Karst environments are extremely peculiar settings, with unique landscapes showing a variety of landforms, such as dolines, swallets, shafts, karrenfields, poljes, endorheic basins, caves, etc. These features play an important role in hydrological processes, especially in the natural groundwater recharge. In such a context, mapping the most typical karst landforms, understanding their formation mechanism and the hydraulic role, combined with analyses of geological and geomorphological data, are of crucial importance to fully comprehend the hydrogeological regime. In this contribution, we focus on the Alburni Massif (Campania), one of the most important karst areas in southern Italy. A karst geomorphological map was realized in Geographic Information System (GIS) environment, based on data derived from the available scientific and speleological literature and cartography, analysis of Google Earth Images, high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEM), and field activities. The map consists of several layers: the geological, topographic and hydrological layers represent the base maps on which the main karst elements are portrayed. In detail, the geological layer consists of the rock formations and tectonic faults, extracted from the official geological cartography available for the study area. As regards topography, it consists of contour lines and hill-shade map, derived from a 5-meters DEM. The hydrological information regards the main rivers and the basal springs, these latter being generally located at the contact between the limestone and the impermeable flysch formations. To fully characterize the Alburni Massif, the layer dedicated to karst was eventually realized, by selecting the most important features of the karst landscape. These included the cave entrances, together with endorheic basins and dolines, that were mapped in this study for the first time over the entire mountain ridge, also discriminating, whenever possible, the different mechanisms at the origin of the dolines. In addition, other features such as swallets, blind valleys, morphological saddles, etc., were also represented. All these elements are described in this contribution, giving an overview about the geomorphological and karst landforms of the Alburni Massif. Integrated with further information from cave explorations, this amount of data could be of high significance to improve the knowledge of the Alburni karst environment and of its hydrogeological characters.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
